11/6/2008

RAD 216 ADVANCED

IMAGING MODALITIES
CT WINDOWING

WINDOWING
The human eye is capable of
distinguishing roughly 32 shades of
gray (25). The display monitor used
in CT scans can display 256 shades of
gray (28).

WINDOWING
Yet, a digital CT image has a dynamic
range of 212 (4,096) shades of gray
per pixel. These values are well
beyond human perception.

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WINDOWING
Windowing enables the viewer to
narrow the range of shades by
altering the contrast scale and
brightness level.

WINDOWING
Remember that the tissues of the
body are defined along a continuum
of 2000 CT numbers. The contrast
can be controlled by specifying the
range of CT numbers. This range is
called the window width.

WINDOWING
The CT number that falls in the
middle of the window width specifies
the brightness level. This is simply
referred to as the level.

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WIDTH vs. LEVEL

HOUNSFIELD UNITS (CT NUMBERS)

WINDOWING
Certain types of tissues are best
viewed using specific window widths
(scales of contrast) and window
levels (brightness). In general, soft
tissues use a narrower window width
than bony anatomy.

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WINDOW WIDTHS & LELVELS

LUMBOSACRAL SPINE (BONE):
WINDOW = 2000
LEVEL = 300

LIVER (SOFT TISSUE):

TISSUE)
WINDOW = 300 TO 400
LEVEL = 0 TO 50

WINDOW WIDTHS & LEVELS

Changing the window level will not
change the window width or range of
CT numbers, just the upper and
lower values.

WINDOW WIDTHS & LEVELS

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WINDOW WIDTHS & LEVELS

For example, if a window width of
350 and level of 40 are used, what is
the upper and lower limits of the
window?

WINDOW WIDTHS & LEVELS

Answer:
Upper limit = +175 + 40 = +215
Lower limit = -175 + 40 = -135

WINDOW WIDTHS & LEVELS

If the upper and lower limits of the
window are known, then the window
level can be determined.

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WINDOW WIDTHS & LEVELS

For example, if the upper and lower
limits are +50 and -300, respectively,
what is the window level?

WINDOW WIDTHS & LEVELS

-300 + 50 = -250
-250 2 = -125

IMPORTANT POINTS TO
REMEMBER
CT numbers below a specified window
width will show black pixels; CT
numbers above a specified window
width will depict white pixels.

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IMPORTANT POINTS TO
REMEMBER
Narrow window widths display short
scale contrast and wide window
widths display long scale contrast.

SUMMARY
Windowing limits viewing CT images
to a narrow portion of the total
information available. This enables
the interpreting physician to zero in
on those aspects that are of
diagnostic value.